Radiation source training is a process used by the military, emergency and first responder teams, and specialty response groups all over the country. This involves simulating real situations in which high levels of radioactivity may occur. In the field, radiation training objectives include but are not limited to practice with instrument measurement, dose accumulation, dose measurement, dose rate evaluation, instrument performance, instrument capability testing in real space, and emergency response site evaluation.
In the past, there have been issues with radiation source training. Previously, a trainer would take a commercial device or just a regular radiation source that came out of a device and put it in a lead box or container. When training activities take place, the trainer simply pulls out the source, measurements are taken, and then the source is put back in the lead container. While the trainees do get to practice accomplishing various training objectives, realism and application are lacking in this methodology. Just seeing a meter tick is not applicable training to situations in which a bomb goes off or a large fire occurs. Moreover, the way this training is performed causes instruments to give off readings in a realistic manner while those controlling the radiation are not so involved that they affect the realism. Therefore, the need for a method of using the radioactive material in a realistic manner is clearly evident.
Another issue with the existing training methods is the inability to simulate different situations. As an example, the amount of radiation experienced by a medical worker in a lab is different from the amount of radiation experienced by an emergency worker in the field. Resultantly, the trainee is over exposed or under exposed to the radioactive material.
The objective of the present invention is to address the aforementioned issues. More specifically, the present invention introduces an apparatus that allows the user to store a radioactive material. Moreover, the effectiveness of the present invention allows the user to utilize the present in training programs that involve radioactive material. The ability to control the radiation levels emitted from the source, allows the user to simulate different environments through the present invention. When the present invention is not utilized for training purposes, the emitted dosage level is such that members of the public can act and work in the vicinity with no immediate threat.